Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-01-14
DAKoTA's NEW GOVERNOR.
A Chum in Boyhood Relates Some
Early Incidents in the Gov
ernOi's Career.

that Judge Louis ~. Cnurcu uaS US soou as
been made Governor of Dakota. A great
many other people are glad I have no
doubt, but nobody except myself and the
new Governor knows that I made him
Governor of Dakota. l am glad he has
got there FIRST, because he is a native Of
Pike County; and, secondly, because
well; I'll tell you why am glad secondly.
No one else ever had the same reason to
be glad over the appointment of Governor
for Dakota.
Judge Rodney S. Church, member of
the Pike County Bar, and the owner OF
much property in aud about Mil ord, was
Lou CLurchs father. AS q 10y, Lou
that's what we call him up here-had u
very red head, and face with more
freckles on it than there are fy-specks on q
railroad restaurant pie. was a boy at the
same time he was, hut, unfortunately, l
didn't have freckle. I would like to
throw out sly hint just now to ambitious
parents to get their boys into the read head
habit as early as possible.
Lou Church had the reputation ofIbeing a
very good little boy. When Billy Salmon,
Black Lint, George Roys, Nathan Roe and
myself made that Sunday raid on John
Wallace's apple orchard across the creek,
and were promptly taken up by thelcou-
stable the next day, Lou Church wasn't
along with us. Why? His father co'la.ed
b m rs he was leaving the house by the
back fence to join us, and escorted him 10
the kitchen and admonlshed him with the
business part of current bush. I am
quite sure that if he had knon then that
was going to make him Governor of Da-
kota he wouldn't have disturbed the sweet
peace of the Sabbath morning with such q
Comanche-l like yell as he did, and certain
ly wouldn't have pointed the finger of
scorn at me afterward when he learned that
outraged justice demanded from me, and
the rest OF the boys, at the hands of old
Squire Thrall, AZ cents costs and $40
bonds to keep the pence for year, for
gathering the dozen or two Of sour apples.
anyhow, Lou kept his reputation for being
good little boy, and slowed away my
vengeance for future reference.
1t seemed to be the Lounded duty of
every body in Milford to lick Lou Church
MS soon as school was out every afternoon.
don't know why it was, but it was, and
Lou seemed 10 recognize the necessity of
the proceeding, and took the daily licking
tnout q protest or a murmur. The boys
took turns in polishing him off. I was
then performing the aruuous duties of
printers devil n the only printing Office in
Pike County, and no time 10 devote to this
rotating punishment OF Lou Church, and
as I had licked every 10y in town except
cred it below me to bother with boy with
red head and freckles whom anybody
could whip, even if did have it in for him.
Time pissed. Among the possessions
of Lou Church's father was team of gray
horses. They have been and are malvels
in the animal kingdom. but nothing was
ever SO fearlully and SO wonderfully made
as Judge Church's off gray horse. He had
many points that might he dwelt upon, but
his chief point, and one that marked him
as horse among 10000, was his spring.
halt 1t was situated in his right hind leg.
People used TO come miles to see that horse
MS lie spring-halted through town. When
he was II motion his right hind leg would
leave the earth with suddenness that was
startling. 1t would fly high in the air, aud
the impetus gwen the horse MS whole
would slove him ahead SO swiftly that lis
three other legs would have all they could
do TO work fast enough TO keepup with him.
That horse would shove himself ahead in
this way n hundred yards or more before
the impe)lns leg had gathered control of
its t~ndons sufficiently 10 seek the ground
again. by that time the energy imposed
by the spr ng-halt leg would lie exhausted,
and the horse would almost come to o
standslill. Then down would come the
leg. 1t would rest for moment on the
earth, and then, chug! up it would 20, and
off the lorse would rush once more on his
three legs like mad, only 10 slow down to
await tile action OF its motive power. 1t
was rs if that horse was wound up to 90 a
hundred yards at a wind.
10 ride behind him vas a sensation that
few cared 10 experience. To ride on his
back was Ike taking an outing on the pad
dlewheel of ferryl oat When Rhala-
manthus-;hnt was the icturesque animals
name-was quescent in his stall or else
where, that wonderful leg hung poised in
midair. When Uncle Sol Newman. the
llase blacksmith, was called upon to
shoe Rhadananthus, he had to use u step.
lad er when he came to that leg.
Regularly every afternoon, MS soon MS
school was out and lie had taken his lick
ing. Lou Church was wont TO solace him.
self with spin around the country Oh the
ramticaling frame of Rhalnmanthus. AS
an apprentice 10 the printers trade, liv.
ing with my emp over, of course had to
take care OF tue baby, chop the wood aud
60 after the cows. One winter We had los
of cord WOO I, but no hay. Our two cows
could & a'onS first rate without fire, but
they expected m occasional mouthrul of
something TO eat, and 80 the editor went
over the subscription book and found That
famer WHO lived six miles out of town
wa' back Oh his paper either two cords of
wood. ei ht bu hels OF POS 'oes, Or half
ton of hay, according 10 how the editor was
hx 4. Not being fixed as to hay, the editor
told me night take a day off and walk out
to the farmers and tell him to fetch in n
half half II ton anil get II receipt 10 date.
II was while returning f. ON this errand that
met the futnr. Governor of Dnkoa, ont
side the Rhadamnnthus, now high in the
q i and flying toward me as the liorse's
three legs did their best 10 keep from mix.
M themselves up, and now pausiny in lis
olreer and disappearing from view rs the
leg returned 10 earth to con-
serve more energy.
My holiday had been somewhat broken
up by the per istent wachfulness of a bio
dog at the farmers. and by the fact that
the farmer had produced receipt for
venl III advance on account Of n sometime
5 de of beef delivered 10 the editor. and
hal told ne to tell the e.litor that lie soll
hay tor cash, anyhow. So wasn't in
very good lumor, and MS recognized Lou
Z hurch OH his charger made up nv m:n1
10 settle the Whole business and nv own
DID score by taking it out of Louis hide. l
AS Ehtdnmanhus came to the small emil of
que of his iln,1;spa 7 w.. lI,d aWjo,,n r,i